SOCIOPRAGMATICS OF REQUESTS IN LOGBA

0
472

ABSTRACT

This thesis investigates the sociopragmatics of requests in Logba, a Ghana- Togo Mountain language spoken in the Hohoe District of the Volta Region of Ghana. It aims at examining the use of request expressions in the language by systematically describing the various strategies and some socio-cultural situations where request expressions are used among the Logbas. The study shows that interlocutors‟ choice of request expression is contingent on variables such as gender, rank, age, power and distance. People who are lower in any of these variables are supposed to make requests to their higher level counterparts in ways that are not face-threatening. However, the higher placed ones are not obliged to make requests in similar fashion. Request expressions used in everyday interactions, sermons, arbitration in the chief‟s palace, financial transactions and ceremonies of various rites of passage were recorded and examined. Though the main theoretical framework adopted for this study is Watts‟ (2003) Politeness Framework, data was also analysed based on the sociolinguistic variable of GRAPD (Agyekum 2005) and the acronym SPEAKING (Hymes 1986). The study suggests that the use of politeness markers such as honorifics, endearment terms, and address terms are aimed at getting the attention of the requestee in order for the requester to achieve his/her request goal.

Keywords: requests, face threats, politeness markers, endearment terms.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DECLARATION…………………………………………………………………………….. i

DEDICATION………………………………………………………………………………… ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS……………………………………………………………….. iii

ABSTRACT……………………………………………………………………………………… iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………………………… v

LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………………………. x

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS…………………………………………………………….. xi

CHAPTER ONE………………………………………………………………………………… 1

GENERAL INTRODUCTION…………………………………………………………… 1

  1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………………. 1
    1. Background of the People and the language…………………………………….. 4
      1. The Logba language and its Speakers………………………………………… 4
      1. The Origin of the People of Logba……………………………………………. 6
    1. Statement of the Problem……………………………………………………………… 7
    1. Research Questions……………………………………………………………………… 8
    1. Research Objectives…………………………………………………………………….. 8
    1. Significance of the Study……………………………………………………………… 9
    1. Definition of Key Terms……………………………………………………………….. 9
    1. Organization of Work………………………………………………………………… 10
    1. Chapter Summary……………………………………………………………………….. 11

CHAPTER TWO……………………………………………………………………………… 12

LITERATURE REVIEW, THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK AND

METHODS………………………………………………………………………………………. 12

  1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………………. 12
    1. Literature Review……………………………………………………………………….. 12
      1. Request Patterns preferred by Native Speakers of Ghanaian, African and worldwide languages…………………………………………………………………………….. 14
      1. Some Studies on Cross-Cultural Contrastive or Comparative Request Strategies…     21
      1. Request Strategies Adopted by Second Language Learners……….. 26
      1. Requests among Native Speakers and other Language Learner…….. 32
      1. Longitudinal Studies of Learners Regarding Request Strategies….. 36
    1. Politeness Theory…………………………………………………………………………. 40
    1. Brown and Levinson‟s (1987) Politeness Theory………………………………. 40
    1. Watts‟ (2003) Politeness Theory ……………………………………………………… 45
    1. Agyekum‟s (2005) GRAPD Sociolinguistic Variable………………………. 47
    1. Hymes‟ (1986) SPEAKING Acronym… ……………………………………….. 48
    1. Methods…………………………………………………………………………………….. 49
      1. Research Method………………………………………………………………….. 49
      1. The Population………………………………………………………………………. 49
    1. Data Collection Instruments………………………………………………………… 50
      1. Participant Observation…………………………………………………………… 50
      1. Interviews……………………………………………………………………………. 51
      1. Role Play………………………………………………………………………………. 52
      1. Discourse Completion Tests (D.C.Ts)…………………………………….. 52
    1. Chapter Summary…………………………………………………………………….. 53

CHAPTER THREE…………………………………………………………………………. 55

SOME REQUEST EXPRESSIONS AND STRATEGIES AMONG THE

LOGBAS………………………………………………………………………………………… 55

  1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………… 55
    1. Sociolinguistic Variables…………………………………………………………….. 55
      1. Gender……………………………………………………………………………….. 56
      1. Rank…………………………………………………………………………………… 57
      1. Age……………………………………………………………………………………… 59
      1. Power…………………………………………………………………………………. 61
      1. Distance……………………………………………………………………………….. 62
    1. Orientation in Requests……………………………………………………………….. 63
      1. Addressee Oriented……………………………………………………………… 63
      1. Speaker Oriented…………………………………………………………………. 65
      1. Speaker and Addressee oriented……………………………………………. 65
      1. Request for Permission for Third Party Assistance…………………….. 67
    1. Sequence of Requests………………………………………………………………… 67
      1. Address Terms……………………………………………………………………… 68
      1. Head Act…………………………………………………………………………….. 69
      1. Adjunct to the Head Act………………………………………………………. 70
      1. Checking the Availability………………………………………………………… 71
      1. Getting a Pre-commitment…………………………………………………… 72
      1. Grounder…………………………………………………………………………… 73
      1. Sweetener…………………………………………………………………………. 74
      1. Disarmer……………………………………………………………………………… 76
      1. Disarmer and Cost Minimiser…………………………………………………. 76
    1. Request Strategies……………………………………………………………………. 77
      1. Direct Requests…………………………………………………………………… 78
      1. Conventional Indirect Requests……………………………………………. 82
      1. Non-conventional Indirect Requests……………………………………….. 88
    1. Chapter Summary…………………………………………………………………….. 91

CHAPTER FOUR…………………………………………………………………………… 93

REQUESTS IN SOME SOCIO-CULTURAL ACTIVITIES AMONG THE

LOGBAS……………………………………………………………………………………….. 93

  1. Introduction……………………………………………………………………………. 93
    1. Requests in Commercial Transactions…………………………………………. 93
      1. Requests in Market Centres…………………………………………………. 94
      1. Requests Between Passengers and Drivers…………………………….. 97
      1. Requests Involving Farmers and Labourers/Farmhands…………….. 99
    1. Religious Requests……………………………………………………………………. 100
      1. Requests in Sermons……………………………………………………………. 101
      1. Requests in Pouring Libation……………………………………………….. 103
    1. Request Expressions Used in Certain Rites/Ceremonies of Passage…. 104
      1. Requests during Marriage Ceremonies……………………………………. 104
      1. Requests during Naming Ceremonies…………………………………. 106
      1. Requests in Puberty Rites………………………………………………… 108
      1. Requests in Funeral Rites…………………………………………………. 109
    1. Requests during Arbitration…………………………………………………… 111
    1. Chapter Summary………………………………………………………………….. 113

CHAPTER FIVE………………………………………………………………………… 115

CONCLUSION…………………………………………………………………………. 115

  1. Introduction………………………………………………………………………… 115
    1. Summary of Chapters……………………………………………………………. 115
    1. Findings……………………………………………………………………………… 118
    1. Recommendations for Future Research…………………………………… 118

Appendix I. Discourse Completion Tests (questionnaires)………………….. 120

Appendix II.Transcription of Selected Recordings…………………………… 124References…   134